My Little Girl
by Cheer.Chic.45
Summary: Gabriella and her father always had a special bond. This is the story of their relationship and the surprises she has instore even after he passes.


My little Girl

Every year that day comes around and it gets harder and harder. That date that will forever be the hardest day of my life is June 27th. Troy will try to be there every year but most years he can't because of his basketball schedule. I thought having children would fix this problem and it did help. But the pain didn't leave completely.

It honestly hasn't sunk In yet that it's been 13 years since Richard Montez, my father had been killed in action. It's been over thirteen years since he hugged me, talked to me, told me he loved me, called me his little girl. That last one is honestly what kills me.

(Flash back Gabi is ten)

"Daddy, Daddy, come here!'"A ten year old Gabi called out.

"Yes, Ella,"Richard replied while walking into the kitchen where his ten year old had set up a speaker and had her iPod hooked up.

"Daddy I want this to be our song,"she said as she started playing the lyrics to My little girl by Tim McGraw.

As the lyrics floated through the speakers Richard watched his daughter mouth all of the lyrics. She already knew the song by heart. Richard was listening to the song very carefully to try to get the lyrics. After he listened to the song that's when him calling her My little girl started.

(Gabi at thirteen) Her POV

I was dancing with my friends at my thirteenth birthday party. My mother insisted I have a birthday party to celebrate this year. I actually didn't want to celebrate at all this year. My dad Has been deployed for 2 years as of today. Yes how depressing is that on my eleventh birthday instead of celebrating and having a sleepover with all of my friends I spent the day at the air force base sending my dad off again not know when I will see him next. The rest if my eleventh birthday was spent with a tub of ice cream and watching home movies.

After we had cake the DJ took over and he did games and stuff and then it was the end of the night and I was having a great time until the DJ decided to have a father daughter dance. As soon as those words left his mouth I physically paled. Did no one tell him? My mom immediately went to go up to talk to the DJ and all eyes were on me.

Before my mom could get to the DJ I heard the doors open and trying to avoid all of the eyes on me I turned to see who walked in. What I saw seemed impossible. He was standing there in his Air Force uniform ginning as bright as ever. I felt tears streaming down my face as he stood there. My body was frozen, my mind was trying to decide if I was hallucinating or not. Then I saw him wave to the DJ and all of the sudden the intro of My little Girl by Tim McGraw started playing.

He walked up to me and asked,"May I have this dance?"

I of course nodded my head and followed him to the center of the dance floor and we started slow dancing together.

"Daddy do you know it yet?"I asked him as we danced to the song.

"No I don't princess but I will for your wedding one day. I will sing it to you too,"he promised me as he sang the one part he did know and that was the lyrics My little girl.

"Daddy as long as you are there for my wedding it doesn't matter if you sing it to me or not,"I told him as I whispered the lyrics to him. We seemed to be in our own little bubble.

"I will sing it to you princess I promise you will always be my little girl," he told me as the song finished.

(Gabi 15) Her POV

It was the last day of school and Troy and I were on the couch in the living room watching a movie. My mom was in the kitchen making brownies. Troy and I had started dating when my dad came home in March. Troy asked him if he could date me and my dad agreed.

I heard the doorbell ring and I offered to answer it. Troy paused the movie and I went to go see who it was. As soon as I saw the military uniform that was navy and a solemn look on the mans face who was wearing the uniform my heart sank. When the face in that uniform isn't somebody you know and your a military family you know what's coming next.

"Is this the Montez residence?" The military man asked with and expression less face.

"Yes this is,"I replied my voice wavering and my eyes already brimming with tears.

"I am sorry to inform you that General Richard Montez was killed in action. Can I please speak to his wife to make funeral arrangements," he informed me. As soon as he stopped talking I gestured for him to follow me.

Our kitchen was attached to the living room where Troy was. As I walked through the living room with Mr. Military man behind me Troy's eyes went wide. He looked at me and knew exactly what was happening. There were many nights where I would talk to him about what my fears were concerning my father. I explained to him how it worked when they told you a family member had died. Troy immediately stood up and walked with me.

When we reached the kitchen My mom was standing there with a bowl full of brownie mix and when she saw me walk in with the military man behind me she dropped the bowl and the brownie mix spilled everywhere. I didn't even react to the brownie batter everywhere I just let the guy talk to my mom and I walked out the back door and I to the back yard. I sat down on the hammock in my backyard.

Troy came and sat down next to me a minute later. He didn't even say anything he just let me sob into his shoulder. He whispered encouraging things into my ear and just let me cry until I eventually fell asleep.

A couple days later I put on a black dress that was very modest and black pumps. I did very subtle make up. Daddy never liked me with a lot of it anyway. The military man I learned had a name and it was Michael. I called him Mike for short. Mike turned out to be one of my dads men. He was one of the people who was really close with my dad before he passed. Mike was actually very nice about the whole situation and tried to help in multiple ways.

"Gabi, Baby talk to me,"Troy said as tears started streaming down my face as the realization hit me.

"Troy he promised me. He promised he would be there when I walked down the isle he promised that he would sing our song! He promised Troy and he broke that promise,"I sobbed and he wrapped his arms around my waist and I leaned my head on his chest.

"I know baby. I know it's hard but would your dad want you to be crying right now?"he asked me softly while rubbing my back soothingly.

"No,"I responded.

"Okay then you know what you need to do,"he told me while wiping away my tears with the pad of his thumb.

"Troy it hurts,"I told him as I started sobbing again. He then wrapped me up in his arms and just let me cry.

(Gabi 18, 3 years after Richard's death) Gabi's POV

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my dad's death. Honestly I thought I would be curled up on the couch with Troy and a tub of ice cream, but I'm not. I'm crying I'm the bathroom, but not for the reasons I should be. Troy decided on his 18th birthday that he wanted to go into the Air Force. We ended up getting in a HUGE fight about it that led to us breaking up. So currently I am sitting in my bathroom crying my eyes out. There's another reason I am crying though and it's because of the white stick sitting in my sink upside down.

On my 18th birthday Troy and I decided to sleep together for the first time. That was in March and the. A couple weeks ago Troy and I slept together and he didn't use protection so we were just relying on my birth control but here's the problem I didn't take it I totally forgot. So now I'm sitting her single and pregnant.

I decided that I needed to tell Troy before anyone. He was the father after all and I needed his support before I told my mother. She was going to be hard to get on board. One thing was for sure is that I wasn't getting an abortion. That will never happen. God graced Troy and I with this life and I wasn't going to destroy his gift.

I trudged to my car and got in. I was rehearsing my speech over and over again in my head. I had no idea how he was going to react. It can't get any worse than it is now though.

I pulled into his driveway and got out. Here goes nothing I rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer the door.

As Troy pulled the door open I was mentally preparing myself.

"Hey,"Troy said. I could see the pain in his eyes. It was the same look that my mom wears everyday.

"Troy we need to talk,"I told him not beating around the bush. I needed to tell him before I lost my courage before I gave up and didn't tell him at all.

I followed him inside the house and up to his room, he shut the door behind him as we sat on his bed.

"Bri what's wrong"he questioned knowing that whatever I had to tell him was serious.

"Remember a couple weeks ago when your parents were out at dinner,"I said as I was trying to figure out how to tell him this.

"Yeah I didn't use protection that night because you said you had taken the pill,"he replied slowly trying to figure out what my next words were going to be.

"Troy I didn't take the pill that day I thought I did but I didn't, what I'm trying to say is I'm pregnant,"I told him slowly not sure what his next words were going to be.

"Are you sure,"he asked me.

"Yes Troy I am,"I responded annoyed he didn't believe me.

"Gabi that's amazing,"he cried excited at the new aspect of his life.

"Troy we aren't together how are we going to raise a child?"I inquired begging myself bit to cry.

"Gabi I was going to ask you if you wanted to get back together later today. I can't live without you Bri I can't do it. I love you so much and I can't go another day without you,"he told me honestly.

"Troy I can't be a military girlfriend, I just can't I have watched my mom be a military wife and I don't want to go through the pain. What about our child Troy what happens if you don't make it. Troy I lost my dad at 15 and I can't have my child go through it Troy I can't,"I started sobbing uncontrollably. I heard Troy look at the calendar then curse under his breath. He finally realized what day it was.

"Bri baby I'm so sorry,"he whispered in my ear. He continued stroking my hair and running my back until my sobbing subsided.

"Troy I can't hold you back from you future,"I told him as he wrapped his arms around me and spoke into my ear.

"Bri I never told you the conversation I had with you dad did I?" He asked as he had his arms around me and I looked up at him with shining eyes.

"Well,"he continued,"When I first talked to him about dating you and after he had agreed and put the fear if god in me we talked about the future. He told me why he wanted to join the military and he said it was to make his country proud. He told me when he was growing up people were constantly telling him you have to change this world if you don't like it, you have to pull your own weight and so he did. The day he turned 18 he signed up for the military and then he was shipped off a month later. They needed him for war he didn't even get to go through basic training, they did it in Iraq. Baby that's why I want to go into the military I want to make your dad proud. To prove that I am good enough for his little girl,"Troy told me as silent tears started streaming down my face.

"Troy you don't have to prove that your worthy,"I tried to tell him but he cut me off.

"Baby I'm not just proving it to your dad I want to prove it to our child too,"he said while bending down to kiss my stomach.

"Okay Troy I will support you, but I swear to god if you die I will bring you back from the dead just to kick your ass,,"I warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it baby,"Troy replied.

"Troy you already signed up didn't you?"I asked and he nodded his head as I slapped him.

(9 months later Gabi 19)

If you think that giving birth is hard and is the worst pain of your entire life I would whole heartedly agree with you. I was in labor for 15 hours and the outcome was beautiful.

(Early that morning)

I woke up in my bed and felt excruciating pain in my lower abdomen. It felt as if someone was trying to tighten a belt that was attached to my stomach. I thought it was Braxton hicks contractions but after they kept coming every 20 minutes or so continuously I decided that it was time to call Taylor my best friend. Currently I was at Troy and I's apartment that we had purchased together when I was three months pregnant and then he was deployed the next month. He had been away for five months and each day it got harder and harder to be away from him. We skyped every Sunday and he sent me letters and I sent him some as well. Every time we said goodbye it got harder and harder knowing that he wasn't going to be here for the birth of our baby boy. I found out by myself that I was expecting a boy. My mom normally goes to all of my appointments with me but this time she couldn't. I told Troy a couple of days later on Skype. We was overjoyed to have a son. As my due date approached we had to come to terms that he wasn't going to be here for his sons birth and I would have to do this with my mom.

Now I'm sitting here in the back of Taylor's car and we are heading to the hospital. In the back of my mind I knowing I need to call him, to let him know that he will become a father in a matter of hours, but I can't something is nagging me telling me to wait. When we arrived at the hospital I sat in the waiting room and decided to call Troy to tell him that his baby boy was ready to make his first appearance. When I called on the second ring he picked up.

"Hey baby what's up,"his voice rang through the phone with extreme clarity. Normally our calls have static and it's hard to make out what the other is saying.

"Baby it's time,"I sobbed through the phone. I knew this day was going to be so emotional not having him by my side.

"Bri I know this is going to be hard but I promise it will get easier. Baby I will talk to you in a minute okay,"Troy said through the phone.

"Troy please don't hang up!"I exclaimed through the phone.

"Baby I promise I will talk to you in a minute okay,"he sighed.

"Okay,"I said as another contraction ripped through my body. They put me into a wheelchair and wheeled me up to my room. As soon as the wheelchair entered my room I saw a figure there standing in and air force uniform and with a bouquet of roses. I immediately burst into tears. He came over to me and hugged me.

"Troy you made it,"I balled into his shoulder.

"I know baby I did I couldn't miss his Birth,"he told me.

(2 weeks later Gabi's POV)

I walked through the Albuquerque cemetery and looked at the names and then walked the familiar path to my fathers grave."Hey daddy it's been awhile. I would have visited you sooner but I have been kind of busy. I have someone I would like you to meet. His name is Thomas Richard Bolton. Daddy he reminds me so much of you everyday. He has your grin and just your personality in general. Daddy he reminds me of you so much. It has honestly been a roller coaster since the. There has been ups and downs and it had been really emotional. Let's start with the bad stuff. Sharpay was in a car accident. She was in critical care and still is. It has been a struggle but she hopefully will make a full recovery we are all praying for her. Another piece of bad news is that Jack, Troy's father, was diagnosed with leukemia. He was diagnosed the day Tommy was born. We took that as a sign of hope so will you please help him get through it I need tommy to have a grandfather daddy please,"I stopped for a minute to collect my thoughts,"So the good news is that Troy finally proposed. He did it the day we brought Tommy home and I was on top of the world. To be honest I still am. The wedding is set 3 years from now. We want time to save money and to relax a little bit and let tommy grow up. I can't wait to walk down the aisle but the only thing to make it better would be you,"I laid a white rose on his grave and walked away.

(3 years later Dress shopping Gabi's POV)

My wonderful alarm clocks went off at 6:15 on the dot as they always do. Troy rolled out of bed beside me and he went to Thomas's room while I went to our three month old daughters room. Troy and I wanted to save money and wait a little bit to have another kid but when I found out I was pregnant again we were extremely ecstatic. Troy was even more excited when he found out we were pregnant with a girl. Cameron Rose Bolton was born 1 month early and gave us all quite a scare with her early arrival. Now she couldn't be happier and loved to wake mommy and daddy up super early EVERY morning.

As I walked down stairs I put Cammie in her bouncy seat and I went to the coffee maker to get my caffeine to start my day. I was still mentally preparing myself for this day. Today I was going wedding dress shopping with Sharpay, Taylor, Troy's mom, and my mom. When I was little and even when I was in high school I always imagined going dress shopping with my dad and him calling me beautiful and telling me that I would always be his little girl. I can't have that though so that's why I'm mentally preparing myself because I honestly don't know how hard this day is going to be for me.

I didn't notice that I had tears streaming down my cheeks until Troy came over and wiped the, off my cheeks and hugged me close.

"Mommy why are you crying?"my intuitive three year old son asked.

"Mommy just misses grandpa sweetie that's all,"I told him as he hugged me.

"Don't be sad grandpa wouldn't want you to cry,"he told me seriously. At that moment I didn't know when my son had grew up on me.

"Thank you baby,"I said kissing his cheek.

"Ew mama stop it!"he screamed while Troy tickled him.

Later that day after I tried on what seemed 100 dresses and nome of them felt like the one. I was about ready to give up when I saw one that pulled me too it. It was a strapless gown that showed a little cleavage but no took much it was fitted until my hips then it flared out elegantly. The bodice was covered in tiny beads and it was honestly beautiful. I knew my father would live it and that's why I love it. Tears came to my eyes and I started sobbing uncontrollably knowing that my dad was watching me and he was happy.

(The wedding day Gabi's POV)

I got up and was in auto pilot immediately. This should be the happiest day of my life but instead I'm just thinking of him. The girls all showed up and we started to get ready they all tried to talk to me but I was distant and they knew why.

My mom pulled me aside after an hour and a half of me being distant.

"Baby I know that it hurts right now, but your daddy wouldn't want you to be sad today. Today is the day that you should be happy about not a day you should be mourning,"she told me as she wiped the tears that escaped my eyes.

"I need to talk to Troy," I told her.

"Baby you can't," she responded back.

"Mama I have to tell him I can't do this,"I said and then I walked out of the room.

As I knocked on Troys door I was having second thoughts but what I did know is I couldn't do it without my dad here.

"Bri what are you doing here?" He asked worried.

"Troy I can't do this," I cried and he pulled me into his arms.

"Baby talk to me what's wrong,"He tried to coax me to talk to him but I just continued to sob.

"Troy I can't do it he's not here,"I managed to choke out.

"Baby you can though. he may not be here walking down the isle but he is watching you. Baby you know he is,"he whispered in my ear as my sobs subsided.

"Troy, he's not going to be here to walk me down the isle like I always dreamed,"I explained.

"Baby he's going to be watching you I know it. If you don't want to get married it's fine we can do this later but you do want to marry me right?,"he asked suddenly unsure.

"Troy of course I want to marry you,"I cried as he encircled me in his arms.

"Then baby it's now or never. We could get married in 20 years and he still won't be able to walk you down the isle but it will be the same circumstances as it is today. I love you now or twenty years from now and your dad will be watching today and he will always be watching over you,"he told me as he lightly kissed my lips.

"I don't know Troy,"I admitted still skeptical.

"Baby we gotta get our head it the game!"he told me laughing.

I giggled back as he twirled me around.

"Your crazy Wildcat,"I yelled as he picked me up and spun me around.

"Now are you ready to get married?"he asked and I nodded my head and then he kissed me.

(An hour later)

The church doors closed as the wedding planner motioned for me to get ready to walk down the aisle. When the church doors opened I got ready to walk down the aisle on my own. Troys dad offered but I wanted to do this on my own. All of the sudden as soon as I locked eyes with Troys Cobalt blue eyes all of my worries melted away and I started my trek down the Aisle.

(At the reception)

I was finally Mrs. Troy Bolton and I couldn't be happier Troy and I had our first dance and it was amazing. After dinner I was greeting my guests when a sentence spoke by the DJ stopped me in my tracks.

"It's now time for the father daughter dance,"the DJ's words cut through me. My eyes searched for Troys. He was the only one that could calm me down right now.

I looked up and then I saw Troy standing at the DJ's booth and he had a smile on his face.

"Bri can you some up here baby there's something I need to show you,"he said into the DJ's mic and all eyes were trained on me.

Once I got up to the booth I told Troy,"This isn't funny Troy what's going on!"

"Baby just watch,"he whispered as the screen that was showing pictures of Troy, the kids and I was now showing a picture of my dad. Troy pressed play and my dads voice filled the room.

"Ella baby I'm so excited that you finally found someone to spend your life with. If this is playing on your wedding day baby I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I wish I was there to walk you down the aisle and to have this dance with you. I wish I was there Ella and I'm so sorry that I'm not. I just want you to know that you will forever be my little girl,"when he paused I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. My dad continued,"now I know that I will never be able to make it up to you for missing your big day but here's one thing that could make it up."

Then I heard the opening introduction of my little girl but Tim McGraw playing. All of the sudden my dad started singing.

As the ending played I was sobbing and Troy was holding me.

"How long have you known about this?"I asked as he wiped away my tears.

"Your mom showed it to me after I proposed,"he told me honestly.

"I love you Troy,"I said.

"I love you too," he replied.

AN: This story is one of my favorites but it is also really sad.

~Cheerchic45


End file.
